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Through client and industry education, Cagwin & Dorward have established themselves as leaders in the difficult field of landscaping.
Cagwin & Dorward is located in California, which is currently going through the regions worst recorded drought in 1,200 years. While you may think this would be the end of the line for a landscaping company, Cagwin & Dorward has handled the current climate with aplomb.
“We started consciously working on better water management practices about a decade ago,” said Steve Glennon, President, CEO, and COO. “We educate our customers in the importance of managing water, and they are becoming very understanding of our current water situation.”
The full-service landscape company offers everything from landscape maintenance, installation, and tree care to water management and erosion control, making it a sustainable solution for customers in Northern California.
Hannah Hawkins, Customer Experience Manager, shared that Cagwin & Dorward takes several different approaches to disseminating water conservation information to its customers, including letter correspondence to inform customers of the water-saving solutions the company offers, drought news and information in the company newsletter, and updates on social media.
One of the most interactive ways the company shares water conservation efforts with its customers is through on-site lunch and learns, in which Cagwin brings lunch into the customer’s office and details the type of landscaping performed on site, as well as what the company is doing to help manage water usage.
Cagwin makes sure that its staff is educated, with all account managers becoming certified through the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) in a water efficient management program. Cagwin was an early adapter of the four-hour class and test, and shared that it has more certified landscape managers than most other landscape companies in the state.
The company has also facilitated several industry presentations with the California Association of Community Managers (CACM), Educational Community for Homeowners (ECHO), and others about drought and water management.
“What we’ve found is that there are many contractors in the state that tout the benefits of water conservation but very few contractors in each water district ‘walk the talk’,” Glennon said. “We’ve proven through the support of the community that we truly are a green landscaper.”
Cagwin & Dorward History
Cagwin & Dorward was established in 1955 when Tom Cagwin, a graduate in Ornamental Horticulture from Cal Poly San Louis Obispo, formed a partnership with Dave Dorward, a Stanford Business Economics graduate. Their business goal was simple: To serve customers first and foremost.
Initially launched as a landscape construction company, the new enterprise began installing landscapes for high-end residential and commercial properties in Marin County, California. The company was incorporated in 1961.
In the late 1960’s the Landscape Maintenance Business Unit was created to support the construction installation projects. Today, the maintenance business is our largest revenue center.
In 1999 our Tree Care Business Unit was formed to provide tree care services for commercial and residential customers.
Over the years Cagwin & Dorward has established itself as a reputable, full service landscape service provider serving Northern California. Our corporate headquarters is in Novato and our service area includes 14 locations, from Santa Rosa in the north to Monterey in the south and east to Modesto and Sacramento.
Tom Cagwin and Dave Dorward retired in the early 1990’s and the company has passed on to the second generation of ownership. We remain a privately owned company consisting of eight owners.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1600, Novato, CA 94948
Phone: 415-892-7710 or 800-891-7710
Website: www.cagwin.com
